thing weaken your attachment to her. You have, 'tis true, obtained a confeffion of her paffion toward you. Is the the less estimable, upon that account? Ought it not rather, to augment the value of a prize, every degree of certainty you acquire, of your being the fole poffeffor? Nay, fhould fhe even yield you the last proof, which was the fubject of a late letter, ought this to leffen your efteem?

You'll excufe my freedom; but I cannot help faying, that the happy, of your fex, too often betray a most unmanly meannefs of fentiment, breeding and moral, in their conduct, toward the unhappy, of ours. Their narrow fouls make no distinction, between a weakness, and a vice; and punish for miffortunes, as for crimes. What height of depravation, to add infult to perfidy! Can they not become inconftant," without being unjust, alfo? Were it

not

not enough, that apathy fucceed to paffion, but must disgust purfue defire? Even were the criminal, is it the receiver, the accomplice, that should inflict the penalty? A banditti would behave with more justice, with more honour. They ne'er betray-they ne'er impeach-except to fave a life.

Preferve then, your fentiments for the Countess, intire, to the end; nor ever, let your event be what it may, fuffer a falfe opinion to interrupt the progress, which her merits must naturally make, both in your affections and efteem. It is not their defeat, in itself, which ought to render women despicable. The manner in which they defend, furrender, and conduct themselves after, should be the fole rule of those judgments, the world has a right to form, either of compaffion, or contempt.

VOL. II.

I

Madame

Madame de la Fayette, you fay, feems to think, that my laft letter was on too free a fubject? You fee what cenfures your indifcretion has laid me under. But, she did not confider, that I was no more culpable in that particular, than a lecturer in anatomy, I analize the moral, as he diffects the natural man. Would you not think him too fcrupulous, to omit in his courfe, thofe parts of his fubject, which might afford to idle minds, occafions of loofe reflection? It is not the nature of things, that conftitutes indecence; neither the words, nor even the ideas.

thofe who fpeak,

them who hear.

'Tis the intention, of

or the depravity, of Madame de la Fayette is the perfon in the world, whom I fhould have leaft fufpected, for fuch a criticism.. I shall wait upon the Countefs to-morrow, and convince her of La Fayette's error...

1

Adieu.

LET

LETTER XLVII.

HOW can you imagine, Marquis, that I fhould be furprized, at the

new lures the financiere has thrown out before you? Do you think I am a ftranger to women? I never doubted for a moment, that she would use every artifice of coquetry, to fnatch you from the Countefs. She may perhaps, havė conceived fome little inclination toward you, herfelf, but moderate your vanity upon that occafion; for be affured, that her moft active motive is, the tranfport of revenge. Her pride is interested to mortify her rival, for having already obtained the preference. Women never forgive fuch an affront as this. And if he who is the fubject of the quarrel, be not the principal object of their pique, they always make use of him, for the purposes of their refent

*

ment.

I 2

You

You have met with in the financiere, all you required in the Countefs, to confirm your attachment to her. She tenders you spontaneously, the reward of thofe fervices you proffer, and which by way of further compromife, fhe may perhaps, remit you. And I much fear, you are indelicate enough, to accept of such mean terms. For, to your fhame be it fpoken, the motto of all men's hearts is, To the most complying.

But, fhould you not blufb, to deferve the leaft reproach from the Countefs? What fort of perfon do you feem to prefer before her? A woman, without delicacy or love; moved by no attractions, but those of pleasure ; more vain than fenfible; more voluptus than tender; and more amorous than fond: who values nothing in you, but your youth-and the qualities which attend it.

You